Free civil takeoff software
Free civil takeoff software from Zip Takeoff includes PDF measurement, pay-item totals, and Excel export with no expiration. Start with 10 projects, 5 GB of plan storage, and 1 estimator seat. No credit card required.
What the free tier includes
- Every measurement tool: areas, lengths, counts, vertex editing, snapping, cutouts, undo
- Automatic area pickup: select a supported vector region and edit its area boundary
- Sheet handling: title-block scale detection with confirmation, OCR sheet names, full-text search
- Revisions and addenda: superseded sheets bannered, red and cyan compare, takeoff copy-forward
- Satellite takeoff: scaled aerial imagery for preliminary measurements of visible site conditions
- Pay-item rollups and Excel export: quantities organized by pay item, Base Bid and Alternates separate, XLSX out
- Collaboration: 1 estimator seat and free viewer seats
Free plan limits
- 10 projects
- 5 GB of plan storage
- 1 estimator seat
- Free viewer seats
- No expiration
Pro is $39/month per estimator seat if you need more capacity or additional estimators. The project limit counts all non-deleted projects, including archived ones.
Automatic area pickup needs supported vector PDFs. Scans can be measured manually. Zip Takeoff does not calculate surface-based cut and fill. The main page explains the measurement workflow.
The free tier, on screen
A real job on the free plan
Take a parking lot repave as an example. Before the plans arrive, search the address and measure the visible pavement on satellite imagery for an early number. When the PDFs come in, upload them, confirm the detected scales, and set up a measurement group for each pavement section with its asphalt and base items.
Measure the areas and curb lines, and the asphalt tons, base volume, and bid-item quantities calculate as you go. If the owner asks for a heavier section in the drive lanes as Alternate 1, move those shapes to a measurement group marked Alternate 1 instead of tracing them again. Export the totals to Excel with Base Bid and Alternate kept apart. All of it fits inside one of your 10 free projects.
Free construction takeoff software: what else is available
Many takeoff products offer a time-limited trial rather than a plan you can keep using, and some list no free option. Here is the free option each product publishes, from the vendor’s own pricing page. Compare full prices in the takeoff software pricing table.
| Product | Free option | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Zip Takeoff | Free plan: 1 estimator, 10 projects, 5 GB, no expiration | Our product |
| PlanSwift | 14-day free trial | October 14, 2026 |
| ZZTakeoff | 14-day free trial | October 14, 2026 |
| Bluebeam | Free trial | October 14, 2026 |
| STACK | Free plan: 1 active project per month | October 14, 2026 |
| AGTEK | None listed | October 14, 2026 |
| InSite Elevation | None listed | October 14, 2026 |
| HCSS HeavyBid | Demo on request | October 14, 2026 |
| B2W Estimate | None listed | October 14, 2026 |
| Active Takeoff | 14-day free trial | October 14, 2026 |
When to upgrade
Stay on Free while 1 estimator, 10 projects, and 5 GB of plan storage cover your work. Upgrade when you need more projects, more storage, or another person measuring in the workspace. The measurement tools and exports stay the same.
Free plan questions
- What is included for free?
- Free includes 10 projects, 5 GB of original plan PDF and satellite image storage, 1 estimator seat, and free viewer seats. You can measure, use automatic area pickup on supported vector PDFs, organize pay items, and export XLSX.
- What changes on Pro?
- Pro adds unlimited projects, 1 TB of plan storage per workspace, and the option to add estimator seats. The measurement tools and XLSX export are the same. Each Pro estimator seat costs $39/month or $390/year.
- Does the free plan expire?
- No. There is no trial deadline and no credit card is required. You can keep using the free plan within its project, storage, and seat limits.
- Can I export my takeoffs?
- Yes. The estimator can export quantities as XLSX on Free. Viewer seats cannot export or print.
- What happens at the limits?
- At 10 non-deleted projects, you cannot create another project. Uploads that exceed 5 GB of plan storage are blocked. Existing data is not deleted. Delete unneeded projects or files to free capacity, or upgrade to Pro. Archived projects still count toward the limit.
- Is there other free construction takeoff software?
- STACK has a free plan limited to one active project per month. PlanSwift, ZZTakeoff, Bluebeam, and Active Takeoff offer time-limited trials rather than a free plan. The table on this page lists each product's free option and the date we checked it.
- Can another estimator work with me on Free?
- Free includes 1 estimator seat. Other people can join as free viewers to review sheets and quantities. Multiple people measuring or editing in the workspace require Pro estimator seats.
No credit card required.
Try our free tierFree tier, no credit card required
Try our free tier